To Tell The Truth
by melancholyxdreams
Summary: Told from Hermione's point of view at Bill & Fleur's wedding about she and Ron's issues.
1. Chapter 1

**To Tell The Truth**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. This story is for entertainment purposes only.**

Hermione sat at the lacy-covered table by herself, watching happy couples and various members of Ron's family dance to the jazz band by the stage. Every so often she would look over at Ron, who was in deep conversation with Charlie. Ron had caught her eye more than once in under five minutes, each time his face turning crimson.

Sighing, Hermione uncrossed her legs, smoothed her blue skirt over her knees and stood up. Things between she and Ron had been increasingly uncomfortable ever since Dumbledore's funeral; they hadn't been able to have a proper conversation since before that terrible day. Ron had been a source of comfort, but after, they both just closed off from each other. There had been no fighting or name-calling, just uncomfortable silence and distance, and Hermione couldn't stand it much longer.

Easing her way through the maze of table and people, she spotted Harry congratulating Fleur with a kiss on the cheek. He spotted Hermione, and nudged his way over to her.

"Have you talked to Ron yet?" he asked.

"No," said Hermione. "Every time I try to go up to him, he finds some other place to go and, oh, Harry, it's so hard!" She sighed, her bottom lip trembling. She looked back again where Ron had been, but he was no longer there.

"I don't like seeing you guys like this," said Harry. "It's just strange when we aren't all hanging around together. I know both of you can help each other out, but you need to talk to him first. He won't talk to you."

Hermione sighed again, looking up at Harry. She knew he was right. Ron was stubborn like that. He would let weeks or even months go by before he would be the first to speak up. She gave Harry a weak smile, and he gave her an encouraging one back.

"Alright, I'm going to do this," she mumbled to herself, weaving back in through the crowd. She saw Charlie talking to one of the trumpet players in the band and asked him where Ron went.

"I think he went back into the house for a breather," he said. Hermione thanked him and gratefully left the group that was crowded into the Weasley's backyard.

"Ronald, I know you're in here," she called, opening the back door of the Burrow. Mrs. Weasley was in the kitchen, taking a steaming pot off the stove.

"He's upstairs, dear," Mrs. Weasley said, with a wry grin. "You'd think he'd be used to a large crowd by now!"

Hermione managed a tiny chuckle and made her way up to Ron's room. He opened his door. "I heard you," he said gloomily. "Come in."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Ron's hair was completely disheveled, as though he'd been continually running his fingers through it. There were deep, dark circles under his eyes that Hermione guessed were from lack of sleep as she had the same marks.

She reached out tentatively for his hand. Ron jerked his arm away at first, but then visibly relaxed, letting her hand grasp his. He let out a ragged breath.

"I still can't' believe he's gone," he finally said, breaking the thick silence. "I don't know how Harry can stand being down there with everyone right now. It's only been two weeks..." His voice seemed to catch in his throat, and tears glazed over his eyes that were so clearly in pain. Hermione wanted to help hm as he had helped her, but she didn't know what to do.

Ron wiped at his eyes with his free hand, his other still firmly clutched in Hermione's. "We don't have to go downstairs," she said finally, nodding towards the many boxes cluttering Ron's small room. "We can sit right in here for as long as you want."

Ron nodded and Hermione pulled him over to the closest box and he sat down heavily, a cloud of dust billowing out from underneath. Hermione sat on the box next to him, the hand that wasn't in his on his back. She sat completely still now, now more than ever unsure of what to say and do. She didn't want to do anything wrong and have Ron mad at her. That was the scenario that kept playing in her mind, that she would say something insulting unintentionally, have Ron storm out and them never speaking to each other again. A quick shudder passed through Hermione at this thought again. She couldn't have it. She needed to have Ron in her life and if she had to keep quite to keep something she didn't even mean said from her mouth, than that's what she'd do.

Ron looked at her for a moment. "Are you okay?" he asked hoarsely. "I haven't asked that since the funeral. I don't mean to be so...self-centered." He cast his eyes to the dusty floor. "I'm sorry."

Hermione tried not to say anything, but she couldn't help herself. "You don't have to apologize. I think we all deserve to be self-centered right now." Ron gave her a weak smile and squeezed her hand. "Yeah?" he asked.

She nodded. "Yeah. But if you need to talk to me about anything, you know I'm here. Or Harry. I know he's leaving soon, but he's still you're best friend."

"I know. Thanks Hermione."

Impulse pulled her in and she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. That may have instantly been a bad idea when Ron's face turned scarlet, and mumbled something Hermione couldn't here. But she was sure she saw a quick tug of a smile on his lips and that was enough for her.


	3. Chapter 3

(Two days after the wedding)

Harry was getting ready to leave on his Horcrux hunt. Hermione wanted to beg him not to go, but she knew he had to leave. He was doing it to help everyone. They were in the midst of war, no matter how hard they all tried to deny it, and the ominous end-of-the-world feeling was getting more present by the day.

Hermione, Ron and Harry excused themselves from the group saying goodbye to Harry. Mrs. Weasley was beside herself sobbing and talking hysterically. "He'll kill us all. He'll kill us all. I"ve been having dreams and we all die. Harry, you can't leave!" Harry had extracted himself from Mrs. Weasley's flailing arms, and the three friends made their way to the front door.

Hermione looked at Harry. He hitched his stuffed backpack up higher on his shoulders, and said "You take care of each other. I don't want this search to be in vain."

"We will," they said together.

"I'll send owls to let you know how I am," Harry continued, as they all tried to ignore the wails of Mrs. Weasley in the kitchen. "If you don't get any owls from me, well..." Harry swallowed.

Hermione nodded, a lump forming in her throat. "You'll be alright, Harry. You're an amazing wizard. Did you pack Felix?" Harry patted his jeans pocket.

"Yup."

Hermione had managed to squander a bit of Felix Felicis right after Dumbledore's funeral. Harry needed all the luck he could get.

"If you need us, mate, let us know," said Ron, clapping Harry on the shoulder. Harry did the same to Ron.

"I appreciate it, but I want you guys to stay here and try to keep safe. OK?" He looked at each of them in turn.

"OK, Harry," Hermione said. She leaned in and gave him a tight hug. "Be safe," she whispered, the lump in her throat getting bigger. He nodded.

"Yeah," said Ron. He and Harry shook hands and clapped each other on the back.

"'Bye," said Harry. He turned around and Disapparated with a loud crack. He was gone and Hermione burst into tears.


	4. Chapter 4

The summer was drifting past slow and hazy interspersed with daily news of people being killed either at the hands of Voldemort himself, or Death Eaters. Hermione's biggest fear when waking up each morning was that on the front page of the Daily Prophet there would be a picture of Harry and a headline reading something like "The Boy Who Lived Now Dead".

Four people from Mr. Weasley's office had been found dead in the lobby of the Ministry of Magic the previous morning. Mrs. Weasley was growing more hysterical by the day. So much so that Hermione had taken it upon herself to get items to make her a calming draught.

"It could've been him!" she whispered fearfully while sitting at the kitchen table, her eyes wide and face white. "He was only minutes away from being poor Mr. Hopper. If Amos hadn't popped into the fire and delayed him..." She shuddered, pulling her house robes tighter over her body.

"Mrs. Weasley," Hermione said carefully, touching her arm. She jumped in her chair. "I know it's stressful right now. But we have to dwell on the fact that we are all safe, no on the terrible things that could happen. We'll go mad."

"What? Yes, of course," Mrs. Weasley rambled, her teacup shaking in her hand.

Hermione sighed. She had to get started on that potion straight away. Damn this war! Damn that Voldemort for scaring, hurting and killing so many people!! Hermione hadn't realized until that moment how lucky she was that no one extremely close to her had died yet.

"Hermione?" Ron's voice reached her ears. He was over by the stairs. "Can you come outside with me?"

She looked at Mrs. Weasley, who still had a dazed look about her, but at least her hands weren't shaking anymore. "Alright," she said, standing up.

When they were in the backyard, Ron mumbled something, turned pink, and took his hand out from behind his back. He was holding a bunch of yellow and purple wild flowers tied with pink ribbon.

Hermione smiled. "They're lovely, Ron. Thank You." She stood on her toes to give him the usual kiss on the cheek, but changed her mind midway and kissed him firm on the mouth instead.

Ron let out a kind of gurgled "Murph," and almost dropped her flowers, but Hermione caught them, grabbed his hand and kept kissing him. They stayed there pressed against each other, hardly breathing for just only a moment when Fred popped his head out the back window.

"Ron, Mum asked me to... Oh, sorry!" He made a move to show an apology, and stuck his head back in the house.

They pulled away from each other as though the other were burning like fire. Hermione supposed she'd never been in a more awkward situation in her life.


	5. Chapter 5

Later that fateful afternoon, Hermione had been trying to get Ron alone and talk about what had happened in the backyard. But Ron seemed to sense this and had thrown himself into the loudness of the Weasley family and friends that were a constant this summer.

Hermione tried again after supper. "Ron, I need to..." These words were barely out of her mouth when he slipped away, feigning a chuckle and saying "I need to talk to Lupin." She wrung her hands together, a nervous habit she'd picked up from watching Mrs. Weasley. She felt bad about this situation, but she didn't want what she'd done to change their friendship. She had always thought Ron felt the same, but it seemed as though she had been completely off base.

"I need to talk to you," she said insistently, grabbing his arm so he couldn't slip away again. She looked up at his face and saw one full of embarrassment, much as she had left him the day before. Fred had apologized profusely for his interruption(which was unusual for him), but Ron had ignored him and had spent his time talking to everyone but Fred and Hermione.

Hermione's try to talk to Ron was interrupted by a loud tapping sound coming from the front room window. She heard George say, "Isn't that Hedwig?" Hermione and Ron both rushed to see. It was indeed Hedwig, looking slightly ruffled, but a sight for sore eyes. Ron opened the window, let her in, and took the letter that was tied around her front leg.

"Open it!" Hermione urged. Ron unfolded a tiny bit of parchment that had only a few words written on it. Ron looked it over quickly, and shot a grin first to Hermione, then to Fred and George. "He's okay! And he's destroyed Hufflepuff's horcrux!"

Fred and George clapped each other on the back saying things like "Thata boy!" and "I knew he could do it!" Ron let out a sudden whoop of joy and hugged Hermione on the spot, lifting her feet from the floor. She let out a nervously stifled "Oh!", and Fred and George knowingly left the room, giving each other looks.

Ron put her back down and looked at her in a way he never had before. Hermione got embarrassed and looked at the wall behind Ron's head. Maybe she hadn't misread his feelings after all. But she had to find out once and for all, and that moment was the best time to do it.

"Ron... I...," she faltered. "I...I...I..," He leaned in close and whispered in her ear, making the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

"Me too," he said. And he kissed her.


	6. Chapter 6

Over the next week, Ron and Hermione took the first tentative steps towards building another stage of their relationship. The following Tuesday after the first owl from Harry, everyone was sitting in the front room listening to Hermione read from a long piece of parchment that had been sent that morning from Hogwarts.

Everyone had slightly dazed looks about them, even though the news was expected. They were told that the school was officially closed for the following term. By all means, they could continue their magical training other ways, but were urged to used extreme caution with any choice that was made.

"We're done school," said Fred, squeezing Ginny's shoulder comfortingly, "but to hear the school's closing... It makes what's happening seem so much more real now."

Hermione nodded, placing the letter on the end table next to the arm of the chesterfield. She felt guilty, but she was just a little bit upset she wouldn't be getting the top-notch magical education that she'd been used to for her last year. She knew what was going on at the present time was more important than school, even though it pained her to think so. She had secretly mailed away for all of the books she would have used for seventh year, as she knew it was exceedingly dangerous to be in Diagon Alley to get the books herself. Hermione had admitted this bookish flaw to Ron the day before, and he had just given her an exasperated look.

"Well, of course I'm not surprised," said Mrs. Weasley briskly, standing up and heading for the kitchen. "It's the smartest thing that could be done right now, keeping all the families together in these hard times." Hermione saw Mrs. Weasley's eyes flicker to a scowling picture of Percy that was on the mantle.

"Everything's going to be alright," Hermione assured her, following her to help with dinner. Though deep inside a twinge in her stomach told her otherwise.

**A/N: (Sorry this chapter's short, I'm trying to make them a bit longer, due to comments from readers. We'll see what comes up! Thanks.)**


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